Into the Dark
by iwant2believe13
Summary: When a ghost that's obsessed with fire starts playing games with Melinda, she may have to risk her life to unravel the mystery that's laid out before her... Can Jim save her?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: Well I'm back to writing GW fics! This is supposed to take place between the 1st and 2nd seasons... Basically after Andrea died but before Delia came in. Below is a sneak peek of what's to come later in the story. I'm also posting the first chapter. If I get enough reviews, I'll post more today! So please let me know what you think. Thank you! And I hope you enjoy!**

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There was no way out. She was trapped. Too weak to move the obstacles that were blocking the door, and unable to get to the window with the flames growing rapidly. She could only lie there helplessly. She erupted into another coughing fit, and wiped away tears that were mixing with the blood flowing from her head. She didn't want to die like this. She could hear sirens outside. There was a lot of yelling. She thought she could hear Jim's frantic voice in the distance, but it didn't matter. He wouldn't get to her on time.

"I'm sorry…" She cried softly, as the darkness began to take her.


	2. Chapter 1

**June 18th 2006**

Melinda pulled into her driveway on Hazen Street after a busy day at work. It was June, but the spring flowers were still in full bloom, filling the warm air with their perfumey scent. Melinda inhaled deeply, savoring the subtle aroma of lavender and lilac. It was the perfect remedy to ease the stress of the day. She locked the doors to her red Jeep Liberty, and walked up the porch steps to her front door.

"Jim?" She called up the stairs as she laid her purse and keys on the side table near the front door. Although Jim didn't respond, she took the sound of the shower running upstairs as a clue to where he was. Smiling, she pranced up the stairs to surprise him. When she reached the upstairs hallway, she was unnerved by a cloud of smoke that seemed to be billowing from beneath her closed bedroom door. Feeling mysteriously drawn towards it, she slowly crept closer. The smoke instantly began to fill her nose and throat, making breathing more difficult by the second.

"Jim!" She shouted hoarsely. She reached for the doorknob. As soon as her hand touched it, she gasped and recoiled in pain. It was white-hot. Feeling increasingly smothered by smoke (and now pain), she lowered herself to the floor, coughing violently and cradling her injured hand. Feeling lightheaded, her vision began to go gray around the edges when the bedroom door flew open and all the smoke immediately vanished.

"Mel!" Jim exclaimed, dropping to his knees in front of her, and taking her face in his hands.

Breathing heavily, Melinda looked into his worried eyes. "Hey, baby." She said, voice weaker than she'd hoped.

Jim raised one eyebrow in confusion. "Uh… Mel?" He asked. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Melinda laughed quietly and shook her head. It was just a vision. An extremely vivid and unnecessarily painful vision. "Yeah." She said. "I'm fine. I thought I saw something. And then I…. Um. Tripped?"

Even though Melinda and Jim had been married for a year, and together for almost four years before that, she still didn't like to tell him about her "ghost stuff" unless it was absolutely necessary. She tried to keep it on a need-to-know basis. It hurt him sometimes that she didn't share every detail of every ghost with him, but it was so much for her to deal with every day… And she was used to it. She didn't want to put it on Jim if she didn't have to.

Jim was still looking at her quizzically as she emerged from her train of thought.

"Sorry, what?" Melinda asked, obviously distracted and shaken.

"Tripped?" Jim asked, completely unconvinced.

Melinda sighed and frowned, looking down at the floor. Jim lifted her chin, redirecting her gaze towards him.

"What'd you see?" he asked quietly.

"Honestly, I didn't really see anything. Except for smoke." Mel confessed, "And a lot of it. I felt it too."

"That… Can't be good." Jim fumbled, trying to find the right words.

Melinda jumped to her feet, suddenly cheerful again as if nothing had happened. "I'm sure it's nothing." She watched Jim as he slowly got up, just realizing that he was wearing nothing but a towel and his body was still glistening with moisture. She grinned slyly and stepped closer until their bodies were nearly touching. Placing her arms around his neck, she leaned in to whisper seductively in his ear. "What are YOU doing?"

Jim chuckled and put his hands on her hips. "You are a strange girl, Melinda Gordon." He replied huskily.

"You love it." Melinda ran her hands softly down Jim's back, causing him to involuntarily shiver.

"I do." He whispered, sweeping Melinda into his arms bridal-style and entering the bedroom with her. Suffice it to say, all ghost-business was momentarily forgotten.

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**A/N: And so it begins! If you want more, please let me know! REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: You asked, and so you shall receive! Here is chapter two! Again, if you are liking it and want me to post more, please review. The more comments I get, the sooner it will be updated. Chapter four is when the mystery is really gonna begin! ;)**

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Later that evening, Jim and Melinda sat together on the steps of their front porch, enjoying a bottle of Merlot while they watched the sun set. Mel sat between Jim's legs, leaning her head against his chest, lulled by the slow rise and fall of it as he breathed.

"So the store was busy today?" Jim asked.

"Yeah." Melinda answered. "It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't just me. I guess I'm still getting used to juggling it all alone."

Jim held Melinda tighter as she sighed. He could sense her sadness. It had been less than a month since she lost her best friend, Andrea. The pain was still raw.

"Have you thought about hiring someone new?"

Melinda turned slightly so she could see his face. "I don't know… I'm not sure if I'm ready yet."

Jim kissed the top of her head. "I'm off tomorrow. How bout I come in and help out?"

Melinda tried to stifle a laugh. Jim caught it.

"What?" He asked, smiling himself.

"I'm sorry…" Melinda chuckled. "I'm just trying to picture you helping someone decide what vintage purse they should buy."

At that, Jim starting laughing too. "Hey. I might know more about style than you think."

"You're right." Mel said. "It takes a great deal of fashion sense to find the perfect socks to go with your uniform every day."

Jim playfully slapped Melinda's thigh. "You better watch it."

"Or what?" Mel questioned.

"Or I'll stay home and eat Peanut Butter in bed all day while you're gone." Jim threatened.

Melinda narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't dare…"

Jim turned Melinda towards him and planted his lips on hers in a passionate kiss. He then laid his forehead to rest against hers.

"So I'll keep you company tomorrow?" He whispered.

"I would love that." Melinda murmured in reply.

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The following day was just as busy at "Same as it Never Was" Antique Shop. Jim took the register so Melinda could focus on helping the customers, and before they knew it, it was time to close up.

"I don't know how you do this." Jim said, watching Melinda as she flipped the CLOSED sign over on the door.

Melinda turned back to face him. "You're a paramedic, Jim. Don't tell me ringing up merchandise gets you stressed out."

"It's a lot a math." Jim said. "I don't like math."

"You worked on Wall Street with your dad. Didn't you have to do some math then?"

"Well, the computers did it all. You should really get a better register here. You know they have some out there that do all the work for you? It would save you a lot of extra trouble." Jim suggested.

"And then I can start franchising, and before you know it 'Same as it Never Was' will be a worldwide chain!" Mel joked. "No thanks. I like to keep things simple."

"Simple." Jim said. "Right."

Melinda laughed and headed toward her office in the back of the store.

"Now what are you doing?" Jim asked.

"I'm just gonna check the inventory for the day. Could you go to the basement and grab the boxes at the bottom of the stairs and start putting stuff away? It will just take a few minutes and then we can go home."

"Sure thing." Jim said. "You're the boss."

Melinda watched him walk downstairs as she sat down in front of her computer. She clicked on the inventory program on her desktop, but instead of the program opening, an article popped up:

_**FIRE KILLS WOMAN AND CHILD. ARSON SUSPECTED.**_

"What's this?" Melinda asked herself. She read the article:

**_A house fire broke out on the night of March 7, 2006 in Lakeview County, New York.  
By the time Fire Rescue arrived on site, the house had collapsed, killing the persons inside. The victims were identified as Carrie Hart (36 years old) and her 10 year-old son, Tommy Jr.  
Thomas Hart (38 years old) is being held in Lakeview County Jail on suspicions of starting the fire with the intent to kill._**

Just as Melinda was wondering why the article had shown up on her screen, she smelled smoke.

"Jim?" She called.

"Yeah?" Jim answered from the other room.

"Do you smell smoke?" She asked.

"What?" Jim shouted.

Just then, a spirit appeared in the doorway to Melinda's office, and with him he brought more smoke and an immense amount of heat. Melinda stood up quickly.

"Who are you?" She asked.

The spirit didn't say anything. It was hard to see him through all the smoke, but she could tell it was a man. He was tall and muscular, wearing all black. She couldn't see his face. Melinda started coughing as the smoke overwhelmed her. There were beads of sweat dripping down her face and back; she attempted to wipe them away with the back of her hand.

"Please." Melinda wheezed. "Talk to me. I can help you." She coughed again, trying desperately to breathe in some clean air. She couldn't take the smoke. Her eyes burned and she couldn't see. She stumbled, trying to reach the door. She thought she could walk right through the ghost, but when she got to the door she ran right into a hard body. Her knees buckled, and a pair of strong arms came around her, holding her up.

"Mel! Breathe!"

It was Jim. Melinda gasped loudly, and realized that the smoke seemed to be gone. She coughed and gasped some more, trying to clear her lungs of the lingering feeling and catch her breath. She wasn't aware that she was sitting down until she opened her eyes and saw that Jim had led her to a chair and crouched down in front of her.

"Can you breathe?" Jim asked worriedly, brushing a sweat-soaked lock of hair off of her forehead.

"Yeah." Mel whispered. "Wow, that was strange."

"Same thing as last night?"

"Worse." Melinda replied. "But I actually saw someone this time. And I think it has something to do with this…" Mel swiveled in her chair and turned her laptop around so Jim could see the article. Except the article was gone. All that was on the screen was the inventory worksheet.

"It has something to do with inventory?" Jim asked, confused.

"There was an article here!" Melinda stated. "About a fire. Arson. In Lakeview County."

"When?" Jim asked.

"I think it said March. A woman and her son were killed. They don't think it was an accident."

"It doesn't ring a bell." Jim said thoughtfully. "I can look into it though."

"Could you? Please?"

"If it will prevent something like this from happening again." Jim said, the concern coming back into his voice as he felt her forehead. "You're burning up."

"Yeah. Literally." Mel stated dryly.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: This is where the real mystery begins! It will get better, but the scene will start to be laid out here. Stay on your toes, because things probably will not be as they seem…. ::evil laugh::**

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An hour after leaving the store, Mel was stepping out of the shower with big plans for ghostly research on her agenda for the evening. She slipped on a pair of black cotton capri pants embellished with a silver peace sign on the right hip, and pulled a snug-fitting charcoal gray camisole over her head. She then sprayed some gel into her long dark brown hair and finger-teased some waves into it before she skipped downstairs to the living room.

She could hear Jim cooking in the kitchen as she sat down at the coffee table with her laptop.

"What's for dinner?" Mel called.

"It's a surprise!" Jim shouted back.

Melinda smiled. She brought up the search engine once she was logged in, and typed in: "Lakeview County + March fire + Arson". She sifted through the results until she found something that seemed to be a match. It was a video of a somewhat recent newscast from Lakeview County. She clicked on it and sat back to watch.

**A middle-aged blonde newswoman stood in front of what was left of the house that had burned down. _"It's May 9th; Two months since the horrific fire broke out on 816 Conrad Boulevard, killing Carrie Hart and her young son, Tommy."_ The newswoman announced, _"Thomas Hart Senior is still being held in county jail, awaiting sufficient evidence to begin trial. Here we have arson investigator Ryan O'Bryan to tell us a little about the case."_**

**_"Thank you, Paula."_ Ryan O'Bryan said. _"Well, it seems like a pretty cut-and-dry case. It looks like some accelerant was laid down, starting at the back door in the kitchen. From there, it continued in a trail all the way up the stairs toward the bedrooms. It's clear that whoever did it knew someone would be in those rooms."_**

**_"And does the evidence point to Thomas Hart?"_ The newscaster asked.**

**_"I'm sorry, but I can't comment on anything of that nature at this time."_ Ryan O'Bryan said.**

Melinda heard Jim approaching behind her, and she hit pause on the video before turning to face him.

"Hey!" Jim said, looking at the computer screen, "That's Ryan O'Bryan. Is he the investigator on this case?"

"You know him?" Mel asked, surprised.

"Oh yeah," Jim said as he sat down beside Melinda. "O'Bryan and I used to be on FDNY together before he got promoted to Lakeview County Arson Investigator. He's a great guy. We played poker together back in the day. That guy could drink more whiskey than anyone I knew. I mean more than me, even." Jim laughed nostalgically.

"Okay…" Melinda said, faking irritation. "Didn't need to know that."

"Sorry, babe." Jim replied, still grinning.

"Do you still talk to him?" Mel hinted.

"Yeah, occasionally…" Jim started. "Wait a minute. You want me to dig up some dirt on this case, don't you?"

Mel smiled broadly, "You know, that would be so great of you."

"Alright, alright." Jim said. "I'll see what I can do."

Jim then noticed a sudden look of panic flash across Mel's face.

"Hey," He asked, edging closer to her side, "What's wrong?"

"I think it's happening again." Mel said worriedly. "I smell smoke…"

Jim paused for a moment, before his face took on the same look of panic for an instant. "The tacos!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet and running to the kitchen. Mel followed. Sure enough, the kitchen was filling with smoke, which originated from a large skillet on the stovetop that was now in flames.

Jim ran to the sink and turned it on all the way before pulling the sprayer out all the way and directing it towards the fire. Within seconds, it was put out, and only a small amount of smoke continued to sizzle up from the charred mess. Jim breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief. Behind him, he heard uncontrollable laughter, and turned to see Mel leaning against the kitchen table, wiping tears from her face as she continued to giggle.

"You think that's funny?" Jim asked.

"I'm sorry." Mel chortled. "That was just…. HA!" She continued.

Jim pulled the sprayer out once again, and turned it on. Except this time, he pointed it at Melinda. She shrieked and ran to the other room.

"JIM!" He heard once she was out of sight, "That was so not fair!"

Jim laughed to himself. And then he turned toward the destruction that was going to be their dinner, and sighed again.

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The next morning after Melinda had left for work, Jim dialed O'Bryan on his cell phone. The call was answered after three rings.

"O'Bryan." The arson investigator answered.

"Hey, O'Bryan! It's Clancy."

"Jim Clancy! What's up, man? How you been?"

"Oh, you know, busy…" Jim said. "Still working for the department out here in Grandview. It's nothing like NYC, but it keeps me on my toes."

"I bet." O'Bryan said. "I heard about that plane crash that happened last month. That was rough. We sent some of our guys over there to help out."

"Yeah…" Jim answered solemnly. "Thanks for that. We definitely needed the extra hands."

Hearing the sadness in Jim's voice, O'Bryan quickly changed the subject. "How's Melinda doing? You guys are hitched now, right?"

"That we are. One year, and we couldn't be happier."

"Alright, don't get sweet on me, Clancy."

"Sorry, boss." Jim replied, smiling. "So, hey! I heard about that investigation you're on right now. The guy who supposedly burned down his own house with his wife and kid in it. How's that going?"

"Well… I'm not really supposed to discuss it…" O'Bryan trailed off.

"Right. Of course. I understand." Jim said, waiting for O'Bryan to take the bait. As long as Jim had known Ryan O'Bryan, he knew that he loved to gossip to his buddies about cases he was on. Ethical? No. Beneficial and entertaining for anyone who listened? Yes.

"Okay," O'Bryan relinquished excitedly, "Now you didn't hear this from me, alright?"

"Not from you. Got it." Jim grinned.

"So the guy they're holding in county jail, Tom Hart… His wife was supposedly having an affair with his brother. And now his brother is missing… So we're thinking Tom found out, and in a fit of jealous insanity, killed his brother and torched his own house with his wife and son inside. We just need to put the pieces together, and we've got our case."

"And nobody knows where the brother could be?" Jim asked.

"Hell no." O'Bryan scoffed. "Probably thrown in the lake. It's still too soon to comb the water without probable cause. We're getting there though."

"Wow." Jim said. "Unbelievable. Killing your own family…"

"No kidding." O'Bryan agreed. "But, hey… What's your interest in the case?"

"Oh, uh… Melinda's kind of writing a book." Jim lied.

"A book?"

"Yeah. A mystery novel centered around arson. She was kind of interested in the case for ideas."

"Oh." O'Bryan said. "Well sweet! Tell her to give me a call if she wants to hear any crazy stories. I've got tons."

"I'll let her know." Jim laughed.

"Well, Clancy, it's great talking to you, but I gotta run. We should really get together though! Poker night, maybe?"

"Yeah, boss!" Jim said. "Gimme a call."

"Sure thing, Clancy. Later!"

"Bye." Jim finished, hanging up the phone. He then picked it up again to fill Melinda in on all the juicy details.

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**A/N 2: Sorry if it was a bit slow and uneventful, but this chapter was necessary to give some background information on the ghost(s) that we'll see from now on. As always, PLEASE review and let me know what you honestly think. If you guys still like it, I will continue writing. Next chapter is gonna have more drama :)**


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thank you to those of you who have reviewed so far! I really appreciate it so much, and I'm glad you all are liking the story. Now get ready, because this chapter has some serious drama going on…**

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That Evening

"I'm not finding anything here about Thomas Hart having a brother." Melinda told Jim as she searched on her laptop.

Immediately after arriving home from work, Melinda had recruited Jim to research with her. Now, two hours later, they sat side by side on the living room couch, both staring intently at the computer screen. They'd found nothing so far.

"There's got to be something, somewhere." Jim mused. After a moment of thought, his eyes lit up. "Facebook! Look up Thomas Hart and see if he lists any siblings on there."

"You're a genius!" Melinda said excitedly.

"Well, yeah. Obviously." Jim joked.

Melinda typed away until she found what she was looking for. "Thomas Hart - right here. Married to Carrie Hart. He lists one sibling: Michael Hart."

Melinda clicked on Michael Hart's name to view his facebook page.

"Graduated from Rockland U in 2000." Jim read, "He works for a law firm in Claremont."

"You'd think that someone who worked for a law firm would have more people searching for him." Melinda mentioned.

"You'd think." Jim agreed.

Melinda stared at Michael's picture. He had short spikey black hair, intense dark brown eyes, and tanned skin. He was smiling broadly in his picture. He looked happy and successful. Melinda clicked to view more pictures, and then expanded one that caught her eye.

"There's our mystery trio." Jim said, looking at the new picture. It was a photo of Michael, Thomas, and Carrie standing on a pier by a lake at night. Carrie stood between Michael and Thomas, her light brown hair shining in the moonlight. She was about a foot shorter than the two men, with a petite build. Her skin was pale and freckled, and her green eyes looked almost mischievous. Thomas looked a lot like his younger brother, with the same hair and eyes, except Thomas was stockier. Not fat, just broad. And his smile seemed almost forced, not genuine.

Melinda continued to stare at Michael in the photo, hoping to derive something from it, when again the smell of smoke started to creep into her nostrils. She looked up to see the same dark figure that she saw before standing in front of her fireplace.

"Are you Michael?" Melinda asked quietly.

"Is he here?" Jim whispered anxiously.

Mel shushed Jim before standing up and walking closer to the ghost. The cloud of smoke grew, and Melinda felt choked by it. But she refused to let him leave without giving her some answers. She coughed a few times, and hoarsely continued speaking.

"Please talk to me. I can't help you until you do. I think I know what might've happened to you." Melinda coughed some more and tried her hardest to take deep breaths despite the phantom smoke.

"Mel…" Jim warned, standing in an effort to help her.

Melinda quickly turned around. "Jim, it's okay. I'm okay, just give me a minute with him."

Jim just looked at Melinda apprehensively.

"Please?" Melinda begged.

Jim shook his head with resignation and backed away slowly. "I'll be in the kitchen. If I hear anything concerning, I'm running right back in here."

Melinda ignored Jim and turned back towards the ghost, who was now laughing menacingly.

"What is it?" Melinda asked quietly.

"You think you know?" The ghost rasped. "You don't know anything."

"Then tell me what it is I need to know." Melinda said.

The ghost vanished and reappeared behind Melinda. "I'll show you." He whispered.

Before Melinda could turn around, she was in a full-blown vision.

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_It was pitch-black. She couldn't see anything, but she could feel some kind of fabric covering her eyes and she found herself choking on thick, scorching-hot smoke._

_"Please, no…" She cried out._

_All she could hear was the crackling of fire, and somewhere, far away, manic evil laughter._

_"Please, don't do this. Let me go. Please!" She begged._

_It grew hotter and hotter. She felt the flames licking at her legs, burning her skin, and instantly forming angry blisters and boils. The flames grew until she was engulfed by them. She screamed. She screamed so hard it felt as if her throat was being torn open, and her vocal cords were spilling out. And then numbness began to take over. And then the darkness set in…_

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Jim was pacing the kitchen, silently arguing with himself. It had been a few minutes, and he could no longer hear Melinda. She was no longer coughing and struggling for breath, but she wasn't talking either. He wanted more than anything to go in there and take her into his arms, but he knew that she needed to talk to this ghost while she had the chance. And then something happened that made Jim's blood run cold, and his heart feel as if it had stopped beating in his chest. He heard Melinda scream a blood-curdling scream. Then he heard a dull thud. And then there was silence.

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**A/N 2: Okay, so I'm evil…. I'm sorry! I usually don't like cliffhangers, but I think sometimes they can be fun ;)  
**** Please review and tell me what you think, and I'll try to post the next chapter ASAP!  
**** I Love My Readers =)**


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I didn't want to leave you all hanging for too long, so here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

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_**Previously on Ghost Whisperer:**_

_**Jim was pacing the kitchen, silently arguing with himself. It had been a few minutes, and he could no longer hear Melinda. She was no longer coughing and struggling for breath, but she wasn't talking either. He wanted more than anything to go in there and take her into his arms, but he knew that she needed to talk to this ghost while she had the chance. And then something happened that made Jim's blood run cold, and his heart feel as if it had stopped in his chest. He heard Melinda scream a blood-curdling scream. Then he heard a dull thud. And then there was silence.**_

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Jim ran into the living room as fast as his legs could carry him. He saw Melinda, lying on her side on the floor, motionless and drenched in sweat, eyes lightly closed. He hurried to her side, and frantically pulled her into his lap.

"Melinda." He whispered, gently brushing hair out of her face. He leaned over her and put his ear to her lips, feeling her quick and shallow breaths. He then sat up and put two fingers to her neck. Her pulse was weakened and faster than it should be. Nearly hyperventilating from fear, he held her face in this hands.

"Mel!" He shouted. "Melinda! Come on, honey, talk to me! Open your eyes!"

Melinda remained still. Becoming desperate, Jim hoisted Melinda upright into his arms and held her close. Cupping her cheek gently, he took a deep breath in an effort to stay calm. It didn't work.

"Mel, please. Look at me. Wake up." Jim begged.

Melinda's eyelids fluttered and her breathing hitched.

"Jim?" She whispered.

Jim hugged her closer. "It's me, honey. Can you hear me? Open your eyes."

Melinda managed to force her heavy eyelids open. She felt like she was still burning. Her skin was on fire, and it was hard to breathe properly.

"God, Mel." Jim breathed. "Are you okay?"

"I…" Melinda stuttered. "I dunno."

"What happened?" Jim asked.

Melinda tried to sit up on her own, but she couldn't. She felt weak. Letting out a frustrated sob, she collapsed back into Jim's arms.

"He… He showed me…. He gave me a vision." Melinda cried. "It was so real, Jim. I couldn't breathe… There was so much smoke. And then I was on fire. I could feel everything. I can still feel…."

Melinda broke down in tears, and clung to Jim tightly. Jim, unsure of what else to do, lifted her effortlessly and laid her down on the couch. He wiped her tears away, and kissed her eyes.

"Mel." He whispered soothingly. "Mel, calm down. Take a deep breath. Look at me."

Melinda sighed heavily and looked into Jim's eyes.

"You're going to be alright, okay?" Jim said. "Wait right here, I'll be right back. It's gonna be okay."

Melinda laid there crying as Jim disappeared from the room. He returned in a minute, his arms full of ice packs and damp washcloths.

"Here." Jim said, placing a cool washcloth on Mel's forehead. "Keep breathing."

He covered her arms and legs in ice and cool cloths, and clung to her hand until her breathing and her tears slowed.

"Better?" Jim asked.

"Yeah." Melinda said brokenly.

The two sat in silence for a couple minutes before Jim spoke up.

"Mel… I don't understand. How can a ghost do this to you?"

"What do you mean?" Melinda asked.

"You felt like you had a sky-high fever. I mean, it felt like you were really burning… " Jim said. "How? How can a spirit make that happen? And more importantly, how can we stop it from ever happening again?"

"Ghosts can get pretty powerful if they're scared or angry enough." Melinda replied. "And he wanted me to see how he felt when he died."

Jim shook his head. "I don't know if I can stand this anymore," He muttered softly.

Melinda stared at him a moment before answering. "What?" She asked.

"Mel… When I came in here and saw you like that… I've never been so scared in my life. Not since my brother died. And to know that this doesn't have to happen to you…? To know that there are people - or whatever they are - who do this shit to you?" Jim ranted. "No. It's too much. I can't stand it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Melinda asked indignantly.

Jim took in his wife's hurt expression, and his resolve melted. He hung his head and sighed. "No, I'm sorry, Mel." He wearily mumbled. "I just don't like seeing you hurt. It kills me…. I'm sorry."

Melinda strained herself to sit up and wrap her arms around Jim. She held him tightly and buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry too." She whispered. "I hate scaring you… And I hate that we can hardly ever just have a normal day together."

Jim hugged Melinda and gently rubbed her back. He felt her tears soaking through his shirt, and he held her even closer.

"And I hate…" Melinda cried. "Having this damn gift sometimes… But it's who I am. I can't stop it. No matter how much it hurts me."

Melinda sniffled, and Jim pulled back and kissed her compassionately.

"We'll get through this," He said with determination. "We always do."

Melinda smiled and laid her forehead against Jim's.

"But…" Jim continued. "If this ghost hurts you like that again… I'll personally bring him back to life and kill him all over again with my bare hands."

Melinda giggled as Jim kissed her neck and laid her back down. He didn't leave her side for the rest of the night. Unfourtunately tomorrow they'd both have to work. And unfortunately the ghost was far from done with Melinda…

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**A/N 2: So there will be more drama and suspense to come…. This ghost is just warming up as far as this little incident went ;)**  
**Please review and tell me how you liked it!**  
**I'll try to post the next chapter soon!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Can't think of much to say... Just read and enjoy! And please review!**

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"Same as It Never Was" was having yet another busy day, until after lunchtime when things slowed down because of a boat show on the lake. Now, Melinda sat at the counter getting some paperwork done while two elderly women browsed through different sets of china.

"When do these originate?" One of the women, a short, plump redhead asked Melinda.

Melinda looked up at the set the woman was pointing to. "Those are from 1912. It's the same style they used in the banquet hall on the Titanic."

"Oooh…" The woman said with admiration.

The other woman, who was tall and thin with white-blonde hair, walked toward Melinda.

"That is a lovely candelabra." She stated, referring to the copper branched candle holder sitting on Melinda's front counter. It was adorned with three stout vanilla bean candles that were burning dimly and releasing their warm scent.

"Oh, thank you!" Melinda said, smiling. "It could be yours for just 28 dollars."

The woman continued admiring it, when Melinda heard a rustling sound from her office. The woman must have heard it too, because she looked up.

"Excuse me, just a moment." Melinda said, and hurried to the back room.

Michael was standing there waiting for her. Melinda backed into the furthest corner.

"Now isn't the best time. And please don't give me anymore visions like the one you sprung on me last night. I got the point." Melinda whispered so as not to be overheard by her customers.

Michael laughed darkly. "I'm sorry. I thought you wanted to help me."

"I do." Melinda stated. "And I will. I just can't right at this minute."

"Not with those ladies out there, you mean?" Michael asked. "I understand."

With that, he vanished, leaving Melinda confused.

"That was too easy…" Melinda said to herself, furrowing her brow. Then she shrugged it off and went back to her customers.

The tall woman was still looking at the candles. She looked up at Melinda when she walked back out.

"I'm sorry, I left a window open." Melinda said. "It's getting really windy out there! So, what do you think?" Melinda gestured to the candles.

Suddenly, she heard Michael's voice in her ear.

"If you can't talk to me while they're here, I'll just get rid of them for you." He whispered roughly.

Melinda's eyes widened as the candelabra began to wobble. Then, it tipped over, spilling the candles and igniting the counter. The two women screamed and jumped back. Melinda hurriedly backed away. The flames spread quickly, growing higher until they nearly reached the celing.

"Do either of you have a phone on you?" Melinda asked fearfully.

The red-haired woman nodded.

"Call 9-1-1!"

Melinda ran to the basement door and flung it open. She had a fire extinguisher on the wall leading down the stairs.

_I really hope this works_, Melinda thought. She pulled the pin from the extinguisher and aimed it at the base of the flames. Instead of putting them out, it scattered them. A large spark flew toward Melinda and lit the sleeve of her plum-colored cardigan. She screamed, and fumbled to take it off. She finally managed to remove the sweater, but not before her arm was burnt by the fire. She held it gingerly, and led the customers out of the store.

"I can't put it out!" She shouted. "We need to get outside!"

* * *

**5 Minutes Earlier**

Jim was sitting in the lunchroom at the firehouse, playing blackjack with his friend and colleague, Bobby.

"Clancy, where'd you learn how to play cards?" Bobby teased.

"From your mom." Jim shot back.

Bobby shook his head reproachfully as Jim laughed as his own joke.

Just then the phone rang to let them know there was a fire. Bobby picked it up and after a couple seconds, barked "On our way." And slammed it back down again.

"What do we have?" Jim asked, already running for his gear.

"There's a fire at Melinda's store." Bobby told Jim regretfully.

"What?" Jim shouted.

They put on their equipment as fast as they could and jumped into the firetruck, pulling out of the station quickly with the sirens and lights on. Two more of their men followed a moment later with the ambulance. Luckily, the store was less than a block away, so they got there fast.

Jim scrambled out of the truck before it was even at a complete stop. He saw Melinda standing in front of the store with two elderly ladies. He ran up to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Are you hurt? Is anyone hurt?" He asked hurriedly.

"No." Melinda lied. "Please put it out!"

Jim and Bobby both worked on the fire, and within a few minutes it was out. Bobby continued to ensure that the flames were completely doused, while Jim went back to Melinda. He caught her holding her arm and lightly trembling.

"You are hurt." Jim stated, gently taking her arm in his hands.

"It's nothing." Mel replied shakily.

Jim examined her arm, and then looked deeply into her eyes with concern.

"Mel, this is second degree, at least. Your elbow looks like it may even be third. And I think you're going into shock."

"I just need to sit down." Melinda mumbled.

Jim put his arm around her and led her to the back of the ambulance, where she sat between the doors with her legs dangling. One of his fellow paramedics, Juan, came around the side.

"Hey, Jim. What do we have here?" Juan asked.

"It's my wife, Juan." Jim said. "She's burned. I'm gonna take care of it."

Juan nodded and walked away to see if Bobby needed anything.

Jim worked on Mel's arm and continued to observe her demeanor. She was definitely trembling, and besides her singed arm, her skin was ice-cold. Her eyes also looked a bit unfocused. Jim sighed.

"Mel…" He started.

Melinda looked at him and knew immediately what he was going to say.

"No." She said.

"I really think we should take you to the hospital." Jim said, disregarding Melinda's premature answer.

"I said no."

"I'd feel a lot better…" Jim pleaded.

"What would they do for me there?" Mel asked.

"They could treat your burns better than I can here." Jim said. "And give you an IV drip to prevent dehydration and stop you from going into shock."

"I'm already in shock." Mel muttered.

"So you agree with me." Jim said.

"Not about the hospital."

Jim knew he was not going to win the battle.

"Okay." He said. "You do not have to go to the hospital…"

"I feel a 'but' coming."

Jim continued. "But… I'm taking you home and you're on bedrest for the rest of the day. And I'm going to sit with you the entire time whether you like it or not."

"Whatever." Mel said apathetically. "It's not like I can go back to work anyway."

She looked at the sooty mess that was her store and pouted.

* * *

**A/N 2: Uh-oh! Evil ghost strikes again! And there is still even more to come =O**  
**I'll try to post the next chapter soon, but I can't promise that it will be tomorrow because my work schedule is really crazy this week. I do promise I'll try to hurry, though!**  
**Have a great day! Can't wait to read your comments! ;)**


	8. Chapter 6 and a half

**Author's Note:**

**I really want to apologize.**

**1.) Because I never do chapters that are simply an author's note**

** ...And...**

**2.) Because I haven't updated for so long.**

**I got into a nasty car accident a couple weeks ago and ended up with a concussion and minor neck injury, so I've been recovering from that. I promise writing will resume ASAP. And maybe I'll even use this experience as inspiration for an upcoming chapter ::hint hint::**

**Thank you all for your patience, and hopefully you will forgive the brief hiatus. Stay tuned, the next chap should be up in a few days or less!**

**Peace, Love, and Jim Clancy! :)**

**~Emmy~**


	9. Chapter 7

**_Author's Note: I don't even know where to begin…. I am SO so SO so SO so SO (multiply that by maybe a hundred) sorry that I haven't updated in so long. My computer broke and I couldn't afford to get it fixed, let alone get a new one, until now. I got all your messages, and I'm so happy to have such an amazing group of readers! Thank you all for sticking by me and my long-lost story all this time. I promise I will now update this and my other unfinished stories regularly. I hope you can forgive me, and that I can make it up to you all! TONS OF LOVE! -Emmy_**

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It has been a week since the fire at "Same as it Never Was", and the ghost had yet to make another appearance. Jim was thrilled, and had his hopes up that maybe, for once, a ghost had decided to leave Melinda alone. Melinda knew better, though. When ghosts stayed away for that long, it was never a good thing. It usually meant that they were storing up their energy for their next big appearance, and she was hardly looking forward to that.

Jim was changing the bandage on Melinda's arm, which was healing nicely on it's own. _Small favors_, Jim thought. It seemed like there was only about a one to three ratio of hospital visits that could be avoided when it came to his wife.

"So… What's on your agenda for today?" Jim asked Melinda as he finished up wrapping her burn in sterile gauze.

"I need to go sign some forms at the insurance office." Mel said, sounding less than excited about it. "I'm hoping they can have the place fixed up by next week."

Jim kissed Melinda on the forehead. "It will be alright." He said. "Plus, you kind of like hanging out with me."

"God, no." Melinda teased. "It's awful. I'm going insane here."

Jim laughed. "Yeah, yeah… Whatever. You want me to come with you today? We could get lunch, maybe do a little shopping?"

Melinda looked at Jim, astounded. "Shopping, Jim?" She asked. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm great." Jim stated. "You, on the other hand, have been acting like a prison inmate all week."

"Well maybe if someone would let me out of their sight for two seconds!"

Jim held Melinda's hands. "As if I could hold you back." He joked. He then looked at her seriously. "I just worry. As much as I hope this ghost is gone for good, I know you don't think so."

"Fair enough." Melinda said. "The insurance office is in Cedar Hills. My appointment's at noon."

Jim looked at his watch. "That gives us an hour. Let's go. We can get lunch before."

* * *

After eating lunch at a small bistro in Cedar Hills, talking to the insurance company, and hitting a few shops in town, Melinda and Jim were on their way back to Grandview. Melinda was checking over her insurance paperwork one more time.

"So, I'm not going to have to pay anything out of pocket!" She said happily. "Thank God for that!."

"You can say that again." Jim said.

Ahead in the road, Jim saw flashing lights. He slowed to look at the scene. There were multiple squad cars and fire trucks pulled over on the side of the road by the lake. A tow truck was dragging what looked like a completely destroyed car out of the water. The car was charred black, and half of it was melted away. Clearly, there had been some kind of explosion.

"I wonder what happened?" Melinda said.

Then, without warning, another car hit Melinda's Jeep from behind. The impact was sudden and forceful, and it sent both Jim and Melinda jolting forward in their seats. The airbags deployed, hitting Jim square in the chest and Melinda directly in the face. Metal crunched, glass broke, and the car spun around 360 degrees. And then everything was still and silent.

* * *

_**A/N 2: Sorry about the super short chapter, but I had to get back into the groove of writing. If you haven't noticed, I'm feeling especially dramatic too :)  
**__**Next chapter should be up in a bit! Please review!**_


	10. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Here's my next update! I didn't want to leave you all hanging for too long. Please review and let me know what you think!**

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For a moment, Jim was too stunned to move or even think. When his senses came back to him, the first thing he did was look over at Melinda. She was slumped in her seat, her head resting on the badly cracked passenger side window. There was blood running down her face from her nose and from a large cut near her right temple; and her eyes were closed.

"Oh God." Jim gasped, unbuckling his seat belt and jumping closer to his wife. "Mel?" He asked, touching her shoulder. She didn't move at all. "Mel!" He shouted. "Honey, look at me. Please, Mel." Still no response.

Someone knocked on the driver side window and Jim whipped around to look at them. It was one of the firefighters who were already on the scene. He opened the door and looked from Jim to Melinda.

"You folks okay?" The man asked.

"No." Jim said. "My wife is hurt."

"I'll radio for an ambulance." The man said.

Jim got out of the car on his side and rushed over to Melinda's door. He slowly opened it, and caught Melinda before her limp body could slide out of the car. He then lowered himself to the ground, holding her.

"Melinda." He said again, touching her cheek.

Melinda's eyelids fluttered and opened heavily.

"Jim." She whispered.

"Are you okay? What hurts?" Jim asked.

"No." Melinda murmured, in a daze, looking up at his concern-filled eyes. "I'm okay. It's fine."

"No, Mel. You're not okay. It's not 'fine'." Jim answered sternly.

Melinda ignored him and struggled to get up.

"Lie still." Jim ordered. "Mel, you're hurt. You're bleeding."

Melinda ignored him. In a trancelike state, she shakily stood up and walked a few feet to where she could see the scene below. She watched as they pulled the burnt vehicle all the way out of the lake, and she swore she could see a person inside of it. Then Michael appeared right in front of her.

"This is me. This is where I died." He stated.

Michael then disappeared. Jim grabbed Melinda from behind, and then everything went black.

* * *

There was beeping echoing in her head. That was the first thing Melinda was aware of. The next thing she noticed was something caressing her hand. Then, the pain registered. Her head felt like it might burst open, and her nose felt like it had been bashed in with a crowbar. She groaned, and squeezed her eyelids shut even tighter.

"Mel?" A voice from beside her said.

Melinda simply groaned again and refused to open her eyes. Another voice came, this one female, coming from further away.

"Is everything alright?"

The first voice answered. "I think she's waking up. Can she get some more pain meds right away?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Clancy." The female answered.

Melinda took a shuddering breath, and weakly turned her head. "Jim?" She said, her voice raspy like it hadn't been used in a while.

"I'm here, Mel." Jim answered. "Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?"

Melinda forced her eyes open, and squinted against the bright flourescent lights. After a second, her eyes adjusted and she saw Jim sitting beside her. He had a thick scratch on his left cheek, dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was messy. He looked like he had been crying at some point, and the worry was still etched on his face.

"What happened?" Melinda asked.

"We were in an accident." Jim said. "Someone rear-ended us. Do you remember anything?"

Melinda strained her memory. Jim waited patiently as she thought. A minute later, something dawned on her.

"The car they were pulling out of the lake. It was Michael's." She exclaimed.

Jim looked confused for a second, and then realized what she was saying. "The ghost?"

"Yes." Melinda answered. "He told me that's how he died."

"Wow." Jim said. "Poor guy."

"Yeah." Mel agreed. Then she winced as a lightning bolt of pain shot through her head once again. Jim cupped her cheeks with his hands.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"My head…" Melinda murmured.

"You hit it on the window." Jim stated. "Actually, you put it _through _the window. You've been unconscious for almost 36 hours, Mel."

"Great." Melinda said sarcastically. "So when are they gonna rename the ICU after me?"

"That's not funny." Jim replied seriously. "I was scared to death, honey. This is the second time in…."

"I know." Mel interrupted, looking away in shame. "I'm sorry."

"No." Jim said, kissing her hand tenderly. "_I'm _sorry. If I had been watching the road instead of looking at the scene…"

"It's not your fault." Melinda assured him.

"I love you." Jim whispered.

"I love you too."

* * *

**A/N 2: Sorry for the lack of transition at the end there. I didn't want to leave you with another cliffhanger. But there's lots in store for the next few chapters, so keep reading!**


	11. Chapter 9

**Author's note: Yay for another update! I'm kind of on a roll now :) :) :) I hope everyone is enjoying the story, even if you aren't reviewing. I'm seeing a lot of traffic, and that makes me happy. I must warn you, it's just gonna keep getting more intense from here, so brace yourselves!**

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Melinda was discharged from the hospital after four days; just in time for "Same As it Never Was" to be reopened. The repairs from the fire were complete, and she was told that the store was as good as new. Jim, as usual, was insisting that she hold off on going back to work.

"You have a broken nose and a concussion, Mel." Jim pointed out. "Don't you think you oughtta take some more time to recover before you're back into your daily routine of overworking yourself?"

"I don't overwork myself." Melinda said. "Being home all day is boring. Plus, the store's been closed for over a week now. I need to make up for lost time, and lost money."

"I don't like it." Jim stated bluntly.

"But you love meeeee!" Melinda crooned, knowing she could sweet-talk him into just about anything.

"Irrelevant." Jim mumbled in response.

Melinda sauntered up to Jim and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned in and kissed his jaw line seductively. "You love me." She whispered against his skin.

"No…" Jim said, attempting to hold his ground. "Not gonna work."

Melinda touched Jim's face, pulling his lips against hers and kissed him tenderly, letting her tongue slow-dance with his.

"Mmmm…" Jim murmured into the kiss. "Not fair."

Melinda continued to kiss him. When she pulled away, Jim was flushed and breathless.

"You are an…evil….. evil person, Melinda Gordon." He stammered.

Melinda flashed a huge grin and trotted upstairs, yelling over her shoulder, "gotta get ready for work!"

* * *

The store was especially busy for a weekday. It seemed that a week of being closed only made people want to shop there more. _Go figure_, Melinda thought with a smile. By three o'clock, Melinda had nearly made up for three days' worth of missing sales, so she was ecstatic. But then, something unusual happened. In walked none other than Thomas Hart, the brother of the ghost who'd been haunting Melinda; the man suspected of murdering his entire family. Melinda's blood ran cold, but she forced a smile and greeted him as if she knew nothing.

"Hi. Can I help you find anything?" She asked.

Thomas's eyes looked sad and cold. He had a couple days worth of stubble, and looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. He looked Melinda over and nodded.

"I, uh…" Thomas started. "I just moved into a small condo here in town, and I have absolutely no furniture. My old place kind of burnt down, so…. I guess I'm starting over."

"I'm so sorry to hear that." Melinda replied cautiously. "What kind of design are you looking for?"

"I don't know." Thomas answered sullenly. "Why don't you just pick it out. I need a sofa, coffee table, chair, and bed."

"Okay…." Melinda walked over to her furniture assortment and considered each item. Pausing for a moment of thought, she turned around and addressed Thomas.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Melinda asked. "The fire, I mean."

A hint of anger flashed in Thomas's eyes, but disappeared quickly. "I don't know. No one could give me any answers, just that it probably wasn't accidental."

"Oh." Melinda said awkwardly. "Was this a fire I might've heard about? I know there was a pretty bad one near here back in March." _Please don't get suspicious_, Melinda thought, _please don't get suspicious_….

"That'd be the one." Thomas stated. "What did you hear?"

A chill ran down Melinda's spine with the tone of his voice. Maybe she had prodded too far…? She continued nonetheless. "I just heard that it was suspected arson," she said cautiously.

"And that my wife and son died, and I was suspected?" Thomas added, coming closer to her, his posture showing signs of building aggresion.

Melinda backed up in response. "I-I… I did hear that," she stammered, and quickly shifted ground, "I don't believe everything I hear though."

"Uh-huh." Thomas stated, disbelieving. He stepped closer again, until he was face to face with Melinda. "Listen," he snarled, "I didn't start any fire. I didn't kill my wife and boy. They were my family, and anyone who thinks that I would do that can burn." After realizing his choice of words, Thomas laughed darkly.

Melinda was trembling now, and she took a few steps back until she was somewhat protected by the counter. "I'm sorry." She insisted, her voice faltering. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"No." Thomas said, still clearly angry, "You have no place saying anything. No one does."

The bell at the front of the store rang as someone walked in. As fate would have it, it was Jim. One look at Melinda and the man standing in front of her told him that something was off. Jim became defensive immediately.

"Hi honey!" Jim said lightly, although he was staring Thomas down.

Thomas returned Jim's glare. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll be taking my business elsewhere," he barked. He made his way for the door, brushing shoulders with Jim as he passed.

"Watch it, buddy." Jim warned.

Thomas shot Jim another dirty look in response, and then he was gone.

Jim quickly went to Melinda and put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay?" He asked. "What happened?"

"I don't know, really." Mel responded.

Jim looked Melinda in the eyes, seeing the fear in them, and drew her into a hug. "You're shaking." He whispered. "Mel?"

"That was Thomas Hart." Melinda explained.

Jim froze, and then released Melinda to look at her anxiously. "Thomas Hart? The arson guy?" He asked in shock, "The suspected murderer?"

"Yes." Mel said.

"What the hell was he doing here?"

"I'd say it was a coincidence," Melinda started;

"But there's no such thing." Jim finished. "So what happened? How worried should I be right now?"

Melinda sighed and looked at her feet. "I might have asked the wrong questions," she confessed.

"Wrong questions?" Jim responded. "You shouldn't have asked _any _questions, Mel, that guy could be dangerous!"

Melinda's lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. Jim's heart melted at the sight, and he took her hand. "Come home with me," he insisted. "Please? I think you've worked enough for today. Close up shop, and come home."

Melinda took a deep breath and regained her composure. "Okay." She agreed. "I'll close up. But I want to stay another hour. I have some re-organizing to do. After that, I'll come straight home. I promise."

Jim gave her a disapproving look.

"Please?" Mel begged. "I'll lock the door, I'll go in back… No one will know I'm here. If you want you can hang out at the firehouse and meet me back here in an hour."

Jim sighed and gave in. "Okay, fine." He said, "But seriously, honey… I really don't want you setting foot outside until I'm back. I don't like the look of that guy."

"Me either." Melinda admitted. "And I won't."

"Alright." Jim kissed Melinda, and released her hand. "One hour. Then you're coming with me."

Melinda couldn't help but chuckle at his determined insistence. "One hour," she repeated. "We have a deal."

Jim walked to the door and blew her a kiss on the way out. After closing the door behind him, he motioned for her to lock it. Melinda put up the 'CLOSED' sign, locked the door, and waved Jim off. She watched as he jogged across the square to the firehouse. What neither of them knew was that Thomas was waiting in the back alley. He was watching, and he had something planned for Melinda….

* * *

**A/N: So the next chapter is REALLY gonna kick up the drama. I can't wait! I'm going to be gone during the day, but I'll try to have it updated by tomorrow evening/night. The more reviews I get, the more motivated I'll be to hurry home to my computer ::wink wink::  
I love my readers!  
-Emmy**


	12. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: It's been a long day, but I was totally excited to write this chapter the whole time! To answer a question regarding why Jim didn't stay at the shop with Melinda…. Well, it's because if he stayed, the following would not have been able to happen as easily ::evil laugh:: Sorry, but I do enjoy torturing Mel. Hope you like the chapter!**

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Listening to _Death Cab for Cutie_ on her iPod, Melinda sorted through some new pieces she had just gotten in stock: a red and black floral print lamp from the 1920s, a simple square wall mirror with brass framework, a set of dishes from the late 1800s…. All gorgeous, rare items she'd found on an online auction. Admiring her new merchandise and listening to the slow, soothing music almost had her forgetting about her creepy encounter with Thomas Hart. _Almost_.

Before she knew it, forty-five minutes had passed. She was done sorting one box, and didn't really want to start another with only 15 minutes left to work, so she decided to call Jim and tell him she was ready to go now. She hit pause on her iPod and took the earbuds out of her ears, making a quick glance around. _Where's my phone? _She wondered. Remembering that she had left it on the counter up front, she walked out to retrieve it. She picked it up off the counter and hit the code to unlock it. Before she could dial, though, someone grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth with their large, callused hand. She dropped her phone, heard it smash on the floor, and tried to scream, but it was too muffled to make much sound.

"I have a gun in my pocket," Her attacker roughly whispered. "You make a sound and I will shoot you. Understand?"

Melinda nodded against his hand. He jerked her around and dragged her into the back room, closing the door behind him. As fast as he could take his hand off her mouth, he had the gun out of his pocket, pointed at her head. Melinda let out a quiet sob. The attacker spun her around to face him. It was Thomas Hart.

"You know, you should really invest in some better locks." He taunted, "All it took was a credit card to get through it."

"Why are you doing this?" Melinda asked.

"Because you know something. What do you know?" He asked her, his eyes wild with anger and suspicion.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Melinda lied.

Thomas pressed the gun against her temple. "What do you KNOW?" He yelled.

"I swear. I don't know anything." Mel answered, her face shining with tears.

"If you won't tell me here, I'll just have to take you somewhere that you _will _tell me." Thomas said. He grinned mischievously and looked around. "Is there a back way out of this store?" He asked.

Melinda looked at him and said nothing.

Thomas pulled her back against him forcefully, his arm locking her in a chokehold. She gasped as she realized she could get little air through the tight grip he had on her. He dug the gun even harder against her head and breathed against her ear. She closed her eyes and prayed that, by chance, Jim would show up early.

"Tell me where the back exit is!" Thomas demanded. "I know you have one. Tell me now, or I'll just kill you right here."

Melinda sobbed again and tried to catch her breath. "It's…" She managed to gasp out, "It's that way." She pointed toward a hallway leading out of the back room to the basement. Thomas smirked and eased his grip on her a bit.

"Let me make this easier for you." He whispered. He then whipped Melinda around and slammed her hard against the wall. Melinda collapsed into a heap on the floor, knocking over a box of merchandise as she fell, spilling it's contents. A vase shattered, and a collection of coins scattered and rolled every which way. Thomas snickered and picked up Melinda, throwing her carelessly over his shoulder. He snuck out the back exit to the alley where his car was waiting, laid Melinda down in the backseat, got behind the wheel, and drove off.

* * *

Right on schedule, Jim arrived back at Melinda's shop. He stood at the front door and dialed her number on his cell phone to let her know that he was there. The phone rang once, and then went to an automated message: "_We're sorry. The wireless subscriber you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time."_

Jim frowned and hung up. _It was working earlier_, he thought. He then tried calling the store's phone. It rang several times and went to the answering machine. He got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he looked through the front window of the store in an attempt to see if Melinda was in sight. He didn't see anything. He knocked on the door a couple of times, but still didn't see Melinda. Knocking led to pounding, but still no Melinda. Out of ideas, he tried to open the door. It opened immediately. Having seen her lock the door right in front of him, Jim started to panic.

"Mel?" He called, making his way toward the back room. As he passed the front counter, he hit something with his foot. He looked down to see Melinda's cell phone lying on the ground, smashed to pieces. He ran into the back room and saw the mess that the spilled box had created there. Melinda was gone, and it was obvious that she hadn't left by choice. Jim was now in full panic mode. He dialed 911 on his cell phone.

_"911, what is your emergency?" _The operator answered.

"Hello, my name is Jim Clancy. I'm at Same as It Never Was Antiques on Main Street in Grandview. My wife is missing. There's signs of a break-in and a struggle, and I think I know who might have taken her."

_"Okay. Try to stay calm. I'll dispatch the police right away."_

Jim hung up. _Try to stay calm? _He thought frantically, _I should have stayed here with her. Why didn't I stay? I shouldn't have even let her come to work in the first place. **He'll kill her**_**…**.

Jim rubbed his eyes violently at the last thought, trying to expel it. He looked around the room, hoping to find some sort of clue to where Melinda may have been taken. Aside from the chaos, there was nothing. He spotted Melinda's pink iPod nano on her desk. The screen was still on, indicating that she had just been listening to it within the last 15 minutes. Jim put the earbuds in his ears and hit the PLAY button. The music flowed through his head:

_Love of mine, someday you will die, but I'll be close behind  
__I'll follow you into the dark  
__No blinding lights, or tunnels to gates of white  
__Just our hands clasped so tight, waiting for the hint of a spark  
__If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied  
__Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs  
__If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks  
__Then I'll follow you into the dark_

Jim ripped the earbuds out of his ears and laid the iPod back on the desk. He blinked back the tears that had sprung to his eyes. At a loss of what else to do, Jim leaned against the wall and slid down onto the floor. He put his head in his hands and tried to take deep breaths until the police arrived.

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**A/N 2: I know, it's totally drama central now. But you guys like that, right? ::wink::  
****The song in this chapter is "Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie. Obviously, given the title of this fic, it's what gave me the idea for the whole story. Or at least partly. If you haven't heard the song before, go check it out on YouTube or something. It's amazing. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! More to come! Please review?**


	13. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Next chapter, as promised! It's the longest chapter so far, but it was hard to find a good place to end. I hope you enjoy it! If you like it, let me know - REVIEW!**

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To Jim, it felt like hours, but it was actually only minutes until the police arrived. He was still sitting on the floor trying to hold himself together when he heard the front door open.

"Granview PD, is anybody here?' A male voice shouted.

Jim shakily pulled himself up and walked to the front of the store. There were five officers altogether, including his buddy Carl Neely. Carl was a detective for Grandview's police force, and Jim had known him for years. He approached Jim and patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.

"What happened here, Jim?" Carl asked.

Jim took a shaky breath and gestured toward the back room. "Melinda's gone." He stated. "She got into a confrontation with a customer earlier…. She closed up shop after that. I was supposed to meet her back here in an hour, but when I came back, the door was open; the lock had been tampered with, her phone was smashed on the floor, and…." Jim's voice broke and he stopped for a moment to compose himself.

Carl was taking down the information Jim gave him on a notepad. He looked around the store. "This customer… Do you know his name?" He asked Jim.

Jim took another deep breath. "Thomas Hart." He replied.

Carl's eyes widened in alarm. "Thomas Hart?" He repeated.

"Yes." Jim said. "The back room is trashed. I think he took her, Carl. He could've gotten her out the back without anyone seeing."

"Let me take a look." Carl answered. He walked into the back room with two of the other officers following, and saw the overturned box and the merchandise strewn about the floor. The officers began to dust for fingerprints immediately. Jim stood back helplessly and watched.

"Neely…" One of the officers called grimly.

Carl walked over to the man to see what he had found. On the wall, there was a small amount of blood with a long brown hair stuck to it. Carl sighed and shook his head. Jim also saw what the officers were looking at.

"Oh God." He breathed. His knees felt weak, and he had to grab onto Melinda's desk to keep them from buckling. He stumbled and sat down in the office chair. Carl hurried over and crouched down in front of him.

"Jim, don't panic." He said. "We'll find her."

"How?" Jim asked, his voice tight with anxiety.

"Trust me." Carl assured him. "My men will do everything they possibly can. We won't stop until we have her back."

Jim could only hope he was right.

* * *

Melinda opened her eyes and blinked a few times to clear her vision. Her head ached terribly. She tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness came over her, forcing her back down. She tried to determine where she was. It took a second for her to recall what had happened. _I've been kidnapped_. Melinda thought. _I don't know where I am. No one will be able to find me. Jim… _She knew that, by now, Jim would know she was missing. He'd be beside himself with worry. But would he know where to find her?

Melinda tried again to sit up. The room still felt like it was spinning, but she forced herself up and looked around. Wherever she was, it was dark. It seemed like an unfinished basement, with a dirty concrete floor and dingy drywall around her. There were no windows, and the only light she could see was coming from the gaps around a door across the room. Melinda brought her knees up against her chest and wrapped her arms around them. As much as she wanted to believe that she would be saved, her hope seemed to be lost.

* * *

The police officers were approaching people on the square and in surrounding shops, trying to find out if anyone may have witnessed the crime that had taken place. Jim stayed with Carl, and they were currently speaking to the owner of the chocolate shop next store.

"Did you see or hear anything out of the ordinary around four o'clock?" Carl asked.

The store owner, a petite eldery woman, thought about it. "I don't know…" She replied.

"Anything at all would help." Jim said. "Please."

"There _was _a man wandering around in the alley about that time." That woman said. "I thought it was odd, but then I didn't think it was any of my business."

"Did you see him with a woman at all?" Carl asked.

"No." The woman replied. "He was there alone, and when I checked again later, he was gone."

Jim sighed in defeat and Carl nodded solemnly. "Thanks." Carl said. "If you remember anything else, please let us know."

* * *

Melinda sat in the dark, quietly crying, unable to move because of the overwhelming dizziness. She wished something would happen, good or bad, just so she'd know what she was dealing with… But nothing happened at all. She seemed to be completely alone. Then, a thought dawned on her.

"Michael?" She called weakly. "Are you here?"

_Maybe if he is here, he can tell me where I am. _She thought. _Maybe he can help me._

Michael appeared in front of her. His face looked almost regretful. Ashamed; as if he had done something wrong.

"Michael." Melinda said. "Can you help me? Do you know where I am?"

Michael stood directly in front of her, and he looked down at her compassionately.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"What are you talking about?" Melinda replied.

Before Michael could answer her, the door across the room opened, and Thomas came through, slamming it behind him. He sauntered over to her, holding a bottle in his hand. Given the smell floating toward her, Melinda guessed it was whiskey.

"You're awake." Thomas slurred. "You were out for a long time. I was beginning to think I might've killed you."

Melinda curled her knees up closer to her body, as if making herself smaller would give her any more protection.

Thomas continued, "Who were you talking to?"

"No one." Melinda said quietly. "I was talking to myself."

Thomas let out a snort, and took a swig from the bottle. "You crazy or something?" He asked.

Melinda didn't reply.

Thomas put the bottle down on the floor and flew at her. He slapped her hard across the face, and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, pulling her toward him.

"When I talk to you, I would expect an answer. Hear me?" He growled.

Melinda nodded. "I'm sorry." She said tearfully.

Thomas released her and pushed her to the ground. Melinda stayed there, afraid to move.

Michael was there, watching the whole thing happen. Seeing his brother treating Melinda that way, something in him stirred. There was a shelving unit in the corner, stocked with a few gallons of paint and some tools. Michael used his energy to topple it over, spilling paint and sending the tools flying.

Thomas jumped and quickly backed away. "What the hell was that?" He asked, frightened.

"Tell him I'm here." Michael said.

Melinda shook her head nervously.

"Tell him!" He yelled.

Using the last of his strength, he opened the door behind Thomas's back and slammed it shut again, causing Thomas to jerk around so quickly that he lost his balance. Falling to his knees, Thomas cried out, "What's going on here?"

Melinda sobbed, knowing what she had to do. She had to tell him.

"Your brother is here." She cried.

* * *

Jim and Carl continued to canvas the street in search of anyone who may have seen anything. Just when they thought they'd find nothing, one of the officers ran up to them.

"Neely, Clancy!" The man said excitely. "A lady in the square said she was walking by and she saw a car in the alley. She says the guy getting into it looked suspicious so she took down the plate number. She was gonna bring it to the police later, but we got it!"

Carl's eyes lit up with hope as he took the number from the man. "Alright!" He said. "Let's go down to the station and run this."

* * *

Thomas stared wide-eyed at Melinda for a moment. When he had fully processed what she had said, he made his way toward her. He stood over her, and looked down at her with rage in his eyes.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" He said slowly.

"Michael is here." Melinda replied.

Thomas looked away and laughed. "You _are _crazy." He said. He then kicked her in the stomach and watched as she coughed and balled herself up in pain. He grabbed the whiskey off the floor and took another drink from the bottle.

"My brother killed my wife and son!" he yelled. "Did his ghost tell you _that_?"

Melinda couldn't speak. Everything just hurt too much. She managed to look up at Michael. He had tears streaming down his face.

"It's not what you think…" He whispered before vanishing into the darkness.

Thomas approached Melinda again and kneeled down next to her.

"I lost everything, you see." He murmured drunkenly. "I had no choice. I had to kill him. Just like I have no choice now…" He looked into her eyes with what seemed like genuine sadness. "I'm gonna have to kill you too."

* * *

**A/N 2: I know it was a lot of back and forth, but I wanted to show what was going on from both sides.  
Let me know what you thought of it!  
****Next chapter will be up soon! :)  
****-Emmy- **


	14. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: My god, this chapter was intense to write… Which should mean that it will be fun to read! AND it's a long one! That's all I'll say here. Enjoy!**

* * *

Melinda looked up at Thomas through tear-filled eyes. "You don't have to do this." She cried.

Thomas remained beside her on his knees. "Yes, I do." He replied, his voice shaking. "I've lost everything. I have nothing left to lose. And you know what I did now, so I can't let you live."

Melinda tried to keep her breathing steady. She tried not to hyperventilate, but the pain mixed with the panic were making it difficult to the extreme. "I can help you, Thomas." She insisted, "You went through something terrible, and you weren't yourself. The police will understand that. We can get you help."

Thomas's regret seemed to vanish instantly, and the anger returned full-force. He jumped to his feet. "I don't want your help!" He yelled. He stormed across the room and left through the door. Melinda heard it lock behind him. She put her head in her hands and broke down in tears.

* * *

"Thomas Hart recently bought a condo on the outskirts of town." Carl told Jim, who now stood beside him in his office. "I have a couple of my men driving by to check the place out. If the car is there, or if anyone seems to be home, we're going in."

"How dangerous is this guy, Carl?" Jim asked. "I mean, what are we up against?"

Carl turned to his computer, which was displaying Thomas's police records. He shook his head and sighed.

"Honestly, Jim… I've got nothing. Up until this whole arson investigation, Hart's record is clean. He doesn't even have any traffic violations."

"But he might have killed his wife and kid." Jim stated.

"Speculation." Carl said. "There's no real evidence pointing to him. In fact, a guy at his office says he was working that night. That's why we released him."

"And his brother's death?" Jim asked.

"Appears to be a terrible accident." Carl replied.

Jim sighed in frustration. "Then why take Melinda?"

Carl shrugged. "I've seen it before. Sometimes people who are wrongly accused of crimes just snap; become violent; start actually doing the crimes they were accused of…. Or worse."

Jim ran a hand through his hair and clenched his jaw. "How long will it take for your men to check out his place?"

"Should be hearing back any minute now." Carl said.

* * *

Melinda was too weak and tired to even cry anymore. She was almost accepting the fact that her time may be up. Now she just lay on the cold floor, shaking and trying to stay awake. Her stomach felt badly bruised where Thomas had kicked her; she felt lightheaded, her vision was blurring, and her mind felt fuzzy from sustaining two head injuries in less than a week. She touched the side of her head, and realized that some of the stitches she got after the car accident had broken. She could feel blood trickling down the side of her face. She took a deep breath and winced. Lying on her side, she curled up the best she could to keep warm. She was about to close her eyes when she felt someone watching her.

"Michael?" She whispered.

He appeared next to her, sitting on the floor with his back against the wall.

"I never meant to kill them." He stated.

"What happened?" Melinda asked.

"We were having an affair… Me and Tom's wife, Carrie." He explained. "I knew he was working that night, so I went over there to be with her. Tommy Jr. was in bed, and we decided to start a fire in the fireplace. We weren't paying attention, we were too busy fooling around, and the fire got out of control. It hit the carpet, and I don't know… The whole house went up. Carrie told me to get out, she was gonna get Tommy and she didn't want him to find me there. I was in a panic, so I listened to her. I got out, and I waited in my car. But they never came out…"

"How did Thomas kill you?" Melinda whispered.

"After what happened, I needed to get away. I drove to the cabin I own near the lake…" He said. "Somehow, Thomas figured out I was at his house the night of the fire. When they let him out of jail, he found me at the cabin. We got into a fight, he knocked me out, and that's all I remember…"

"Michael, you need to go into the light." Melinda sighed, "What happened wasn't your fault. It was an accident."

"I can't." Michael responded.

"Why?" Melinda asked. "What's keeping you here?"

Michael didn't answer her, though. The door flew open again, and Thomas rushed in. In his hand was a gas can, and without even acknowledging Melinda, he began to pour gasoline all over the floor. Maybe it was pure adrenaline, but Melinda found the energy to act fast. She scrambled up, and began running for the door. Thomas reacted. He dropped the gas can and grabbed Melinda by the arm as she flew by him. Melinda screamed and tried to wrench herself away from him.

"Michael, please!" She screamed. "Help!"

Michael mustered up whatever power he could, and threw himself at his brother. Thomas went down, and Melinda was able to break free. She ran through the door and to the stairs. In her hurry to get out, though, she tripped three stairs from the top and fell. She put her arms out to break her fall, and she felt her right wrist snap with the impact. Delayed by the pain, she was barely back on her feet before Thomas was right behind her. She made it into the dining room before he tackled her to the ground. With Thomas pinning her down, she screamed again and tried to drag herself out from under him. She saw Michael flash by, but when she looked up he was gone. Thomas held Melinda down firmly underneath the weight of his body. With one hand, he pulled a matchbook out of his pocket. He pulled out a match and struck it before tossing it several feet behind him. Melinda could hear the sound of the floor igniting. She tried even more desperately to wriggle free. Thomas quickly grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head against the wooden floor. Melinda's vision went dark. She felt the weight of Thomas lift off of her, but it didn't matter. Again, she was unable to move. In her fading consciousness, all she could think of was Jim.

* * *

Jim and Carl were still waiting in Carl's office when the phone rang. Carl answered right away. In less than a minute he hung up the phone and jumped to his feet.

"The car is at the condo." Carl said. "The address is 2132 Rowling Road. We've got the warrant, and we're going in."

Carl and Jim ran out of the station to a squad car outside and took off. It was a 15 minute drive to Thomas's condo and 10 minutes in, a call came in on the radio that sent Jim's blood running cold:

"_A fire's been reported at 2132 Rowling Road in Grandview. I repeat, a fire has been reported at 2132 Rowling Road in Grandview. All personnel in the area report."_

"Melinda." Jim gasped.

* * *

Melinda refused to give up that easily. She clawed through the fogginess of her brain, and forced herself alert. She pushed herself up with her uninjured hand, and looked around. The fire was spreading quickly, and smoke was filling the house. There was one possible door to lead her out of the room, and one large window about 10 feet away. The fire was more aggressive near the windows, so seeing the door as her best option, Melinda crawled towards it. As she slowly made her way over, she heard a crack overhead. A split second later, a huge beam from the ceiling came crashing down right in front her. Melinda laid back down quickly and covered her head. With the smoke getting thicker by the second, Melinda was barely getting any air. She began to cough violently, and her battered stomach felt like it was going to rupture. More debris fell down around her, blocking the door. Melinda wept, and silently prayed that someone would come.

* * *

Jim and Carl pulled up to the condo and saw the flames rising from every corner. The fire department and paramedics were right behind them. Jim jumped out of the car before Carl could even put it in park, and ran up to one of his fellow firefighters, Bobby, who was on the scene.

"Bobby, Melinda's in there. I have to go in." Jim yelled over the sirens.

"It's out of control, Jim." Bobby replied. "It's too risky."

"It's my wife, Bobby!" Jim shouted. "You can help me or not. Just give me some gear, I'm going!"

Bobby helped Jim gear up in 20 seconds flat, and then they both ran toward the flaming building.

After quickly assessing the scene, Bobby yelled to Jim. "Let's go around back, the fire's not spreading as fast there."

Jim nodded and they ran to the back door. Using an axe to break through the warped wood and glass, they were quickly inside the condo.

"Melinda!" He screamed. "If you can hear me, call out to me!"

* * *

Melinda remained on the floor, her hope of survival diminishing. There was no way out. She was trapped. Too weak to move the obstacles that were blocking the door, and unable to get to the window with the flames growing rapidly. She could only lie there, helpless. She erupted into another coughing fit, and wiped away tears that were mixing with the blood flowing from her head. She didn't want to die like this. She could hear sirens outside. There was a lot of yelling. She thought she could hear Jim's frantic voice in the distance, but it didn't matter. He wouldn't get to her on time.

"I'm sorry…" She cried softly, as the darkness began to take her.

* * *

Jim and Bobby fought through the smoke and flames, trying to find any indication of life. The back door had led them to the kitchen, but there was no sign of anyone in there. They walked through the hall, but still found no one. The next door was blocked by pieces of wall and ceiling that had broken loose. The men swiftly cut through the blockage and kicked it away. When they finally got into the room, Jim's breath caught in his throat. Melinda was on the floor lying face down, her tangled hair fanned out around her. She wasn't moving. Jim rushed to her and gently turned her onto her back. Her eyes were closed; her face bruised, bloody, and stark white. Her lips were tinted purple, a sign that she wasn't breathing. Jim leaned over her and put his lips to hers, forcing air into her lungs. Bobby joined him at her side, and felt her wrist for a pulse.

"Her pulse is faint and thready, but it's there." Bobby said. "We gotta get her out of here, Jim. The place is gonna collapse any minute."

Jim gathered Melinda into his arms, cradling her as they hurried out of there. They ran through the condo and out the back door. Just as they got a safe distance away, they heard a loud crash behind them as the roof collapsed in on the building.

Jim laid Melinda down on the street and quickly removed his helmet, gloves, and jacket. "I need a Bag Valve Mask and an airway!" He yelled. "Get the paddles charged and ready."

He leaned back over Melinda and breathed into her again. "Come on, Mel." He murmured. "You're not leaving me. Come on."

Bobby was back in a flash with the equipment. He inserted a tube into Melinda's throat and placed the mask over her mouth. He pumped air into her lungs as Jim ripped open her shirt and quickly connected her to a heart monitor. Once the monitor was connected, a loud solemn beep sounded.

"No!" Jim yelled. He started chest compressions and yelled over his shoulder to another paramedic nearby. "Where are the damn paddles?"

"They're here, Jim." The young man replied. "Charged at 200 joules and ready."

Jim grabbed them and placed them on Melinda's chest. "Clear!" He yelled.

Melinda's body jumped as the electricity flowed into her. There was still no sign of a heartbeat.

"Charge to 400!" Jim shouted. "Clear!"

He shocked her again, and Bobby continued rescue breathing. Tears were flowing freely down Jim's face as he stared at the heart monitor. There was still no rhythm.

"Come on, Melinda. Don't do this." Jim cried. "Come back to me... Please, Mel. Don't leave me."

Jim took a deep breath and looked to the other paramedic. "800 joules," he said.

The man nodded and charged the defibrillator once more.

"Clear!" Jim yelled. He shocked her again, and this time the heart monitor began to slowly beep. Jim observed the pattern on the screen and let out the breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding. He took Melinda's face in his hands and leaned in closer.

"Melinda, can you hear me?" He said. "Please, if you can hear me, open your eyes."

Bobby removed the mask for a moment as Jim pulled a penlight out of his pocket. Lifting Melinda's left eyelid, he shone the light into her eye. He did the same for the right.

"Pupils are dilated and uneven." Jim stated, his voice breaking. "Radio in, we have a possible traumatic brain injury."

"Ready for transport?" Bobby asked somberly.

Jim nodded, and watched as Melinda was loaded into the back of the ambulance. He wiped away tears, took another deep breath, and jumped in with her; hoping more than anything that she would be okay.

* * *

**A/N 2: More to come! I wonder what's gonna happen to Melinda? Review if you like!  
PS - My readers are the best :)  
****-Emmy- **


	15. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: I don't really have anything to say here. Just enjoy the chapter!**

**

* * *

**

Jim ran beside the stretcher as they rushed Melinda into the Emergency Department of Mercy Hospital. A doctor and nurse were awaiting their arrival. Upon seeing Melinda, the doctor quickly examined her.

"Alright." The doctor said. "We've got MRI ready for her, we've got to get in her right away. We'll take it from here."

"Please let me stay with her." Jim begged.

The doctor looked at Jim sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Jim, but we need you to wait out here." He said. "I'll let you know as soon as we get the results."

Jim watched as they wheeled Melinda away from him. Anxiety was written all over his face as he exhaled a long breath and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. Bobby laid a hand on his shoulder.

"She's in good hands, Jim." Bobby said. "Why don't you sit down and try to relax? I can stay for awhile if you want."

Jim shook his head. "It's okay, Bobby." He replied quietly. "I kind of want to be alone."

Bobby nodded and patted Jim on the back. "Keep me posted, okay?" Bobby said.

"Yeah." Jim whispered. "Thanks."

Jim watched Bobby and the rest of his coworkers leave the hospital. After a couple minutes of pacing, Jim finally sat down with his head in his hands. It was going to be a long night…

* * *

Melinda found herself alone on a starlit beach. It was warm with a light breeze softly flowing through the air, permeated with the mild scent of bonfire and seawater. She watched the waves lazily rolling over the shore before retreating back into the sea. She wore a baby blue sundress that hemmed an inch above her knees in a ruffled skirt. The straps were thin above a fitted top, allowing her hair to softly caress her shoulders as it swayed in the wind. Her bare feet sank a little bit in the warm white sand. She was happy and free of any pain or worry.

She walked to a nearby boulder that would make the perfect seat from which to watch the calm water. She sat down and let herself become immersed in the scenery around her. Lost in the moment, she was just a bit startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, her heart did a flip when she saw who was there.

"Grandma?" She breathed excitedly.

"Hello, my dear." Mary Ann said in a soothing voice. "It's so good to see you."

Melinda jumped weightlessly to her feet and wrapped her arms around her Grandmother. "Grandma," She exclaimed, "I've missed you SO much."

Mary Ann laughed and stroked her granddaughters hair lovingly. "I've missed you too, honey. Although it hasn't felt like so long."

Melinda drew back to look at her Grandma. Her smile began to fade as something occurred to her for the first time in this place.

"Grandma?" She asked. "Am I…?"

"Dead?" Mary Ann finished. "No. Not yet. But you have a choice to make, and it's not going to be easy."

* * *

Jim was back to pacing around the waiting room by the time the doctor came out. Jim stopped in his tracks as the doctor approached him.

"Jim." The doctor said.

"How is she?" Jim asked apprehensively.

The doctor's face showed lines of worry as he explained the situation to Jim. "The MRI showed some intracranial bleeding." He said. "It's putting a lot of pressure on her brain, and right now she's in a coma. We're going to have to perform surgery to release the pressure and drain the blood. She may also need a tranfusion to replace what's been lost."

Jim's breath hitched. "How risky is the procedure?" He asked.

"We won't know until we're in." The doctor explained. "But honestly, Jim, it's her only chance of survival."

Jim simply stared at the doctor for a second, trying to find his voice. When he could bring himself to speak, his voice faltered. "Can I be there?" Jim asked. "Can I watch?"

"It's not something we usually allow." The doctor replied. "But given your medical background, I'll get you in there."

"Thank you, doctor." Jim said.

He followed the doctor to the surgical suite and scrubbed in, all the while trying to mentally prepare himself for whatever may happen.

* * *

"What choice?" Melinda asked her grandmother.

"You can go back." Mary Ann said. "Or you can come into the light with me. If you go back, it's not going to be easy. Recovery will be hard mentally and physically. I have faith in you, Melinda. But it's your choice and yours alone."

"I need to go back, Grandma." Melinda said, without a second thought in her mind. "Jim needs me."

"Okay." Mary Ann replied, smiling. "But you can't go back just yet. For now, enjoy your time here with me."

Mary Ann linked arms with Melinda and they stood together gazing up at the stars. Despite all the beauty that surrounded her, Melinda still worried for Jim.

"I wish I could see him." Melinda said.

Mary Ann squeezed her granddaughters arm affectionately. "But you can." She stated. She led Melinda up to the water and pointed. "See?"

Melinda looked down into the water. It appeared to her as a reflection:

Jim, in surgical scrubs and a mask, stood in the corner of an operating room. Melinda saw herself on a table, surrounded by doctors and nurses. Her head was open with a tube drawing blood from it. She saw as the lines on the monitor above her went flat. The doctors and nurses were rushing about, trying to bring her back. She watched as Jim broke down. He braced himself against the wall and let out a shaky sob. Hyperventilating, he watched as his wife seemed to be slipping away.

Melinda looked at Mary Ann with concern. "He needs to know that it will be okay." Melinda said.

"Concentrate." Mary Ann replied. "Because of you, Jim has a sensitivity to the spirit world that many people don't. You can tell him."

Melinda closed her eyes and focused her mind. She appeared in the operating room next to Jim. She touched his arm and whispered his name. Jim froze for a second as he felt something. Then, suddenly, he gasped and went limp as he collapsed to the floor. A nurse in the room stopped what she was doing and rushed over to him.

"Mr Clancy," She called, shaking his shoulder. He didn't respond.

* * *

Jim and Melinda appeared back on the beach. Mary Ann was gone; it was just the two of them. Jim looked around in confusion before letting his eyes fall on Melinda.

"Mel?" He asked in awe.

"Jim." She replied with a smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly. Jim breathed in the smell of her hair. It smelled like vanilla and almond, just like it always did. He sighed contentedly.

"Where are we?" Jim whispered against her hair. "What happened?"

Melinda remained in his embrace. "I think I brought you here." She explained. "I had to let you know that everything will be okay. You seemed like you were losing it." She gave a nervous laugh, and Jim did the same.

They stepped back from one another and gazed into each others eyes silently. Jim was the first to speak again.

"I can't lose you, Mel." He said softly.

Melinda took his hand and held it. "You won't." She assured him. "I'm going to be okay. Maybe not one hundred percent, but I'm not going anywhere."

There was so much love in Jim's eyes, it melted Melinda's heart. He stroked her hand with his thumb, drawing invisible circles in it.

"I'm scared, Mel." He admitted.

"Don't be." Melinda told him. "I'll be right there with you. Just have faith."

"I have faith in you." Jim replied. He ran his hand over her hair and touched his lips against hers in a gentle kiss before laying his forehead against hers.

"You have to go back now." Melinda whispered.

Jim began to tear up again and he exhaled shakily. "Can't I stay here with you for a while longer?"

"You can't." Melinda said. "Go back and be strong. I'll be with you soon."

"Promise me." Jim begged.

Melinda kissed him again. "I promise."

Jim felt himself falling, and then there was nothing.

* * *

**A/N 2: So I know this chapter was kind of surreal, but hopefully it wasn't hard to follow. Let me know what you thought, and I'll keep writing in the meantime!  
-Emmy- **


	16. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry it took so long to update. It took a while for me to figure out what to write for this chapter, and I finally decided to just sit down and get it out so I can continue. Hopefully it's alright…**

* * *

When Jim awoke, he felt dazed, dizzy, and alarmingly tired. He opened his eyes and found himself lying in a hospital bed.

"Melinda." He whispered as he attempted to sit up.

"Mr. Clancy." A nurse exclaimed, appearing at his side and gently pushing him back down. "Take it easy… Do you know where you are?"

Jim ignored the question and simply looked up at her, his face full of worry.

"Where's Melinda?" He asked. "Is she okay?"

"Your wife is stable." The nurse replied. "She got out of surgery about 20 minutes ago and she's in recovery."

Jim tried to sit up again. "I have to see her," he said.

Again, the nurse eased him back down. "Mr. Clancy, we had to give you a sedative. The stress was too much for your body to handle and you passed out for a while. You're not going anywhere right this minute."

Jim huffed in frustration, and closed his eyes. The nurse, empathizing with the man lying before her, softened. She gently laid her hand on his.

"Melinda's surgery seemed to be a success." She stated softly. "They were able to release the pressure in her skull, and the swelling in her brain is going down. She's not out of the woods yet, but things aren't looking as bad as they were."

Jim opened his eyes again and nodded. "When can I see her?" He asked quietly.

"Let me talk to the doctor." The nurse said. "In the meantime, just try to relax."

_Try to relax_, Jim thought, _Right_…

Despite his mind's worry, though, the sedative had made his body exhausted, and he soon fell into a deep, troubled sleep.

* * *

Two days passed. Jim hadn't moved from Melinda's bedside since the doctor had allowed him out of his own hospital bed, but Melinda had yet to awake. Jim hadn't slept, had barely eaten, and used the hospital bathroom to wash up for fear of leaving his wife. Now he maintained his post beside her, waiting for her to wake up.

Another day passed, and then another… Jim was growing even more worried. Until her cold, pale hand stirred in his. He gasped, and held it tighter. Leaning toward the bed, he stared at her face expectantly.

"Mel." He whispered, his voice hoarse from disuse.

She remained still with eyes closed.

Jim sat back again in his chair, a sense of hopelessness returning, when he happened to notice her eyes fluttering. He leaned forward again and caressed her bruised cheek with his fingertips. Her eyes opened.

"Hi." Jim said softly, a smile spreading across his face.

Melinda's forehead creased in confusion, and her heart rate sped up noticeably.

"What…?" She gasped. "Where am I? What happened?"

Jim gripped her hand tighter and brushed her hair away from her forehead.

"Mel. It's me, Jim." He said, his smile disappearing as worry took over. "You're in the hospital. Something happened…" He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "What's the last thing you remember?" He finished.

Melinda looked over to Jim with glassy eyes, and recognition finally came through.

"Jim?" She asked.

"Yeah," Jim answered, a small smile gracing his face again. "I'm here."

A trail of tears made it's way down Melinda's face, and she drew in a watery breath. "I never thought I'd see you again." She cried.

"Hey…" Jim whipered soothingly, "Hey, honey, it's okay. I'm here now. You're safe."

Melinda began to sob, and Jim stroked her cheek lovingly. Then, suddenly, her sobs turned into convulsions. The heart monitor registered a drastic rise in heart rate, and her face went blank as her limbs trashed violently.

"No." Jim said, jumping to his feet. "Melinda!"

He supported her head carefully with one hand while he used the other to call the nurse's station from the button on Melinda's bed. Within seconds, a nurse was in the room attending to Melinda.

"She's having a seizure." The nurse stated calmly. "Stand back."

The nurse took over in protecting Melinda from causing any injury to herself. The seizure lasted about 5 minutes before the shaking ceased and her heart rate and breathing slowed. Jim, however, was still struggling for breath.

_Melinda… _He thought… _I love you. Please be okay…_

* * *

**A/N 2: I know this was MUCH shorter than my other chapters, but I promise a longer one is coming up soon. As always, PLEASE review and tell me what you think. It's your reviews that keep me motivated, and the more I get, the faster I'll write ::wink wink::**

**Love my readers!**

**-Emmy-**


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